Prisons (Amendment) Bill

Bill No. 6/1985

Read the first time on 14th May 1985.
An Act to amend the Prisons Act (Chapter 79 of the Revised Edition).
Be it enacted by the President with the advice and consent of the Parliament of Singapore, as follows:
Short title
1.  This Act may be cited as the Prisons (Amendment) Act 1985.
New section 63A
2.  The Prisons Act is amended by inserting, immediately after section 63, the following section:
Scheme for prisoners to engage in employment
63A.—(1)  The Minister may introduce a scheme for prisoners who are considered suitable to take up gainful employment whilst they are serving their sentences.
(2)  Any prisoner taking up employment under a scheme referred to in subsection (1) may, notwithstanding the provisions of any order made by any court, Judge, Magistrate or other public officer for the committal of such prisoner, be released daily to perform any work outside the limits of any prison and a prisoner who carries out work outside the limits of any prison pursuant to such a scheme shall be deemed to be in prison and in the lawful custody of the Superintendent of the prison and shall be subject to all the same incidents as if he were actually in prison.
(3)  The Minister may make regulations with regard to the scheme of gainful employment for prisoners and such regulations may prescribe for all or any of the following purposes or matters:
(a)the terms and conditions upon which prisoners are to be released to take up employment outside the limits of any prison;
(b)the terms and conditions of engagement of prisoners;
(c)the manner in which wages shall be paid to the prisoners; and
(d)the proportion of wages earned by prisoners under such scheme of employment which may be retained by the prisoners for the payment of food and travelling expenses.”.